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Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Its adherents, known as Christians, believe Jesus is the Son of God and savior of humanity, whose coming as the Messiah (Christ) was prophesied in the Old Testament of the Bible, and chronicled in the New Testament. Christianity began as a Second Temple Judaic sect in the 1st century in the Roman province of Judea. Jesus' apostles and their successors, the Apostolic Fathers, spread it across large parts of the Middle East, Europe, Ethiopia, Transcaucasia and some other parts of Asia, despite initial persecution. Emperor Constantine the Great converted to Christianity and decriminalized it in the Edict of Milan (313). He convened the First Council of Nicaea (325), where Early Christianity was consolidated into what would become the state religion of the Roman Empire (380). The council formulated the Nicene Creed (325), and the Church Fathers supervised the compilation of the Christian Bible (5th century) The period of the first seven ecumenical councils is sometimes referred to as the Great Church, the united full communion of the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, and Oriental Orthodoxy before their schisms. Oriental Orthodoxy split after the Council of Chalcedon (451) over differences in Christology, while the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church separated in the East–West Schism (1054), especially over the authority of the Pope. Similarly, Protestantism split in numerous denominations from the Catholic Church in the Protestant Reformation (16th century) over theological and ecclesiological disputes. Christianity and Christian ethics have played a prominent role in the development of Western civilization,< particularly around Europe during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Following the Age of Discovery (15th–17th century), Christianity was spread into the Americas, Oceania, Sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the world via missionary work and colonization. It was the world's most populous religious group, wwith over 2.4 billion followers,< or 33% of the global population, comprising a majority of the population in about two-thirds of the countries in the world during the 21st century. Etymology The Greek word Χριστιανός (Christianos)—meaning "follower of Christ"—comes from Χριστός (Christos)—meaning "anointed one" —with an adjectival ending borrowed from Latin to denote adhering to, or even belonging to, as in slave ownership. Principles Being a monotheistic religion, the various sects and denominations of Christianity worship a single God, considered to be the one true God, the creator and the Supreme Being of the universe. Attributes ascribed to God include immortality, transcendence, omniscience (i.e., knows everything that has ever transpired or will transpire, past, present, and future), omnipotence (i.e., capable of doing anything He desires to), and omnibenevolence (i.e., He loves everyone and everything). The doctrine of the Trinity defines God as being one deity in three persons; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, all the same God. More specifically, Christianity is based on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, a preacher whose followers identified as the Messiah promised in the Jewish Old Testament, and no less than the Son of God as well as being an aspect of God Himself. He was executed by the Roman and Judean authorities for supposedly presenting Himself as such, but returned from the dead 3 days later. His words and miracles were recorded by the Apostles in what would become known as the New Testament and compiled with the Old Testament to form the Christian Bible. History Origins Early Church and ecumenical councils , Damascus, Syria, an early example of a Christian house of worship; built in the 1st century AD]] symbol, created by combining the Greek letters ΙΧΘΥΣ into a wheel. Ephesus, Asia Minor.]] , located atop Mount Alfaf in northern Iraq, is recognized as one of the oldest Christian monasteries in existence.]] , Lebanon, home to some of the earliest Christian monasteries in the world]] Christianity grew out of Judaism as a Second Temple Judaic sect in the 1st century in the Roman province of Judea. Other religious influences of early Christianity are Zoroastrianism and Gnosticism. John Bowker states that Christian ideas such as "angels, the end of the world, a final judgment, the resurrection and heaven and hell received form and substance from ... Zoroastrian beliefs". Its earliest development took place under the leadership of the remaining Twelve Apostles, particularly Saint Peter, and Paul the Apostle, followed by the early bishops, whom Christians consider the successors of the Apostles. According to the New Testament, Christians were from the beginning subject to persecution by some Jewish and Roman religious authorities. This involved punishments, including death, for Christians such as Stephen and James, son of Zebedee. Further widespread persecutions of the Church occurred under nine subsequent Roman emperors, most intensely under Decius and Diocletian. From the year 150, Christian teachers began to produce theological and apologetic works aimed at defending the faith. These authors are known as the Church Fathers, and study of them is called patristics. Notable early Fathers include Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria and Origen. King Trdat IV made Christianity the state religion in Armenia between 301 and 314. It was not an entirely new religion in Armenia. It penetrated into the country from at least the third century but may have been present even earlier. Denominations Amongst the multitude of Christian denominations and factions, there are three major religious denomination in the Toaru Majutsu no Index universe, and their apparent purpose: *'Roman Catholic Church' - *'Russian Orthodox Church' - *'Anglican Church' - Minor denominations and sects Other than the three, there are several denominations mentioned during the course of the story. *'Amakusa-Style Remix of Church': A distinct Catholic-based domination, formed by Japanese during Christianity in Japan was banned in the country under the threat of death. Most notable for incorporating various beliefs and cultures of other religions and countries, resulting in a unique style of their own, such as using European medieval weapons and using Shinto concepts to attack gods. *'Spanish Astrological Sect': A Spanish Catholic-based church under the Roman Catholic Church. *' ' (to distinguish from the Roman Catholic Church, or ) *' ' *' ' *' ' *' '